Bitch Media - raphttp://bitchmagazine.org/taxonomy/term/6209/0
enAn Indian Rapper Turned Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda" Into An Environmental Protest Anthemhttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/an-indian-rapper-turned-nicki-minajs-into-an-environmental-protest-anthem
<p class="p1"><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/screen_shot_2015-07-31_at_11.55.44_am.png" alt="" width="670" height="374" /></p>
<p class="p1">Nicki Minaj’s <a href="http://bit.ly/1ql3SIB" target="_blank">hit song “Anaconda”</a> has been remixed as a catchy protest song demanding environmental justice for a city in Tamil Nadu, India.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">In June, families in the hill-top city of Kodaikanal have been protesting Unilever, which <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2015/07/31/kodaikanal-petition-unile_n_7910838.html" target="_blank">operated a local thermometer factory that dumped toxic mercury waste</a> outside for 14 years. <a href="http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Mercury-Pollution-hit-Kodai-Unilever-Ex-workers-Protest-at-Firms-Mumbai-HQ/2015/06/30/article2894190.ece" target="_blank">According to the <em>New Indian Express</em></a>, the mercury poisoning killed 45 workers and 12 of their children in Kodaikanal. Other workers report suffering from neurological and reproductive health problems due to the mercury contamination. While Unilever held their annual meeting with shareholders this week, Chennai-born rapper <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/Sofia-Ashraf-Rapping-for-a-cause/articleshow/17457148.cms" target="_blank">Sofia Ashraf</a> put out a new music video where she calls out Unilever to the tune of “Anaconda.”&nbsp;</p>
<p><iframe width="670" height="370" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nSal-ms0vcI?rel=0&amp;showinfo=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">From the song:&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">“They dumped their waste in the local shrubbery&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Now that’s some toxic shit.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">By the way, what’d they say?&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">That their factory was safe as day.</p>
<p class="p1">They don’t trust a word of what the workers say.” &nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Ashraf and Kodaikanal workers are asking supporters to <a href="http://www.jhatkaa.org/unilever/">sign a petition demanding Unilever take responsibility</a> for the mercury poisoning.&nbsp;</p>
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http://bitchmagazine.org/post/an-indian-rapper-turned-nicki-minajs-into-an-environmental-protest-anthem#commentsactivismenvironmentalismrapPoliticsFri, 31 Jul 2015 19:20:14 +0000Sarah Mirk32570 at http://bitchmagazine.orgAn Ode to Lady, My Favorite Brazenly Sexual Rapperhttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/an-ode-to-lady-my-favorite-brazenly-sexual-rapper
<p dir="ltr"><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/lady_rapper.png" alt="the rapper lady wears a short orange dress and is surrounded by other women in her video for &quot;yankin&quot;" width="670" height="290" /></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>In her 2011 music video for "Yankin," the rapper Lady does whatever she pleases.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">On September 29, the U.S. metal band Mastodon unleashed their video for “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp7CYvh8FwA" target="_blank">The Motherload</a>,” a gratuitously twerk-tastic romp featuring women of color dancing against a Nine Inch Nails-esque backdrop. The backlash followed soon after, and when reached for comment, drummer Brann Dailor said he did not see the sexism of the video, saying that <a href="http://pitchfork.com/news/56917-mastodons-brann-dailor-talks-the-motherload-video-its-not-to-be-taken-so-seriously/" target="_blank">the band sought only to make something “fun” and “bizarre.”</a></p>
<p dir="ltr">With every butt-oriented music video released unto the public consciousness, the great debate arises anew: is a woman shaking her ass on screen an appreciation of her own body and skill or is it jiggling objectification focused on pleasing male viewers?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda” and the Jennifer Lopez/Iggy Azalea collaboration “Booty” were released within weeks of each other to a similarly polarizing internet response. <em>Bitch </em>Associate Editor Amy Lam <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/nicki-minajs-unapologetic-sexuality-anaconda-video-feminism" target="_blank">defended Minaj’s unapologetic sexuality</a> while others found it <a href="http://mic.com/articles/96698/nicki-minaj-s-new-anaconda-video-is-here-and-it-s-a-huge-letdown" target="_blank">frustrating</a>. Likewise, favorable reviews of “Booty” praise the <a href="http://music-mix.ew.com/2014/09/19/jennifer-lopez-iggy-booty-remix/" target="_blank">“elegant and seductive”</a> look of the video whereas critics like The Distillers’ Brody Dalle <a href="http://www.nme.com/news/brody-dalle/79939" target="_blank">have called it “horrendous</a>.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">There is no easy way to talk about female sexuality. Women exist within a narrow spectrum of what is “acceptable” sexuality—pushing that line often results in outrage among critics and fans. People criticize Nicki Minaj’s for her hyperfeminine, sexy clothes, for example, but if she were to go in the opposite direction—like not shaving or not wearing makeup in the name of sexual expression—people would certainly heap flack on her for that, too.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As someone whose self-esteem is perpetually challenged, I find myself empowered by Nicki Minaj’s display of body confidence in her video for “Anaconda.” And all this discussion over Nicki Minaj and Iggy Azalea’s brazenly sexual new songs reminds me of an artist whose own ode to lewdness and sexual power struck home for me a few years ago: Lady. Her work hasn’t gotten as much attention recently as Minaj or Azalea’s, but her song “Yankin’’ hit many of the same notes when it came out in 2011.</p>
<p><iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/19944193?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;color=ffffff" width="670" height="377" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p dir="ltr">Lady is the stage name for 25-year-old Shameka Brown, a black female rapper from Talbotton, Georgia. When she was 13, <a href="http://thisislady.com/#services" target="_blank">Lady formed a rap group with two friends</a> and was the “main attraction” of her school’s lunch room concerts. In 2010, she signed with music label Big Gates Records, and since then her music has appeared on TV shows like HBO’s <em>Girls</em>, Showtime’s <em>Ray Donovan</em>, and the BBC show <em>Skins</em>. It is on her 2010 album <em><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/bitch-from-around-the-way-2/id404360403" target="_blank">Bitch From Around The Way 2</a></em> where you can find one of the most frank songs about a woman’s sex game you’ll ever hear: “Yankin.” (If you’re unfamiliar with the word, you might want to read the Urbandictionary <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Yankin" target="_blank">definition of yankin</a>). The song goes:</p>
<blockquote><p dir="ltr">I can't even lie, I fuck better when I'm drinkin’</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ride dick like a pro, throw the pussy like I'm famous</p>
<p dir="ltr">Pussy feels so good, feels like the rubber off, ain't it?</p>
<p dir="ltr">You ain't gotta tell me, I know this pussy be yankin</p>
</blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">The most telling lyric and what makes it a stand-out in the “sexually liberated woman” song catalog is that final line of the chorus: “You ain’t gotta tell me, I know this pussy be yankin.” Although Lady is proud of the “hypnotic” powers her pussy possesses, she doesn’t need anyone reminding her. In an age where <em>Cosmopolitan</em>-style magazines continue to prey on women’s insecurities and ply them with sex advice centered on pleasing men, it’s refreshing to see a woman safe in the knowledge that she is good at having the kind of sex she enjoys.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Not only does Lady not need the validation of her male partner, she also advocates safe sex without pandering to the listener. In “Yankin” Lady makes the claim that her pussy “feels like the rubber off, ain’t it?” and commends her partner for using a Magnum condom (“the perfect size”). For Lady to normalize the use of protection during a sexual encounter and assure the wearer that they will still have a good time together is a pretty huge deal.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px;" dir="ltr"><img src="/sites/default/files/u2583/lady-yankin.jpg" alt="Lady holding up a magnum condom" width="500" height="281" /></p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px;" dir="ltr"><em>Lady flashing a Magnum-size condom, which goes very well with her outfit.</em>&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">However, as many positive things as I have to say for “Yankin,” the video requires some careful discussion. In it, four women in lingerie sit on footrests or around a dining room table while men stroll about in Jockeys, serve them food and massage their feet. If the men get too close, the women brush them off. In one memorable scene, Lady has two men on all fours, collared and leashed. &nbsp;Dissecting the way Lady flips the script here is a challenge. Lady has been telling us she is in charge, and in the video she shows us that by placing women in a position of power over men. While this is a common sexual fantasy, ideally the solution to the the women-as-props trope in music videos would not just be making men into props. Still, women in any kind of dominant role tend to attract a far greater number of negative comments about their sexuality, so Lady’s fearless display of body confidence flies in the face of the Youtube comments on her video that paint her as someone who has “undone what MLK did” and has “absolutely no respect for herself.” That fearlessness is why, despite being a queer woman who only occasionally fancies men, I feel a personal connection to the song. While the video has its problems, in its way, it’s empowering. It’s important.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Nowadays Lady is working on her upcoming album <em><a href="http://www.thisislady.com/#work" target="_blank">Lip Service</a></em>, which still awaits a release date. If <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisisLADY/status/517100978605395971" target="_blank">this recent tweet</a> is any indication, we will be hearing more from Lady sooner rather than later. Whenever her new album comes out, I’m sure it will be the subject of fierce debate. &nbsp;I bet she’d say, “Bring it on.”</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Related Reading: <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/post/when-oral-gets-aural-or-songs-about-givingettin-head" target="_blank">Ten Songs About Oral Sex.</a>&nbsp;</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em><em>Ariana Vives is the new media intern at Bitch, a graduate student at Portland State University, a lover of all things Lady, and a pro wrestling fan who hopes that Rockstar Spud will realize his worth and ditch Ethan Carter III.&nbsp;</em></em></p>
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http://bitchmagazine.org/post/an-ode-to-lady-my-favorite-brazenly-sexual-rapper#commentsladyrapsexMusicTue, 14 Oct 2014 20:19:41 +0000Ariana Vives28330 at http://bitchmagazine.orgChilean Rapper Ana Tijoux's New Album Hits on Identity and Politics with Expert Flowhttp://bitchmagazine.org/ana-tijoux-album-review-vengo-feminist-rap
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/anatijoux.jpg" alt="A photo of Ana Tijoux, a Chilean woman stretching her arm horizontally holding a feathered string attached to her hair." width="690" height="391" /></p>
<p><em>“Vengo, en busca de respuestas con el manojo lleno y las venas abiertas/ Vengo, como un libro abierto, ansiosa de aprender la historia no contada de nuestros ancestros.”</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">(“I come for answers, with a bundle of full and open veins/ I come as an open book eager to learn the untold story of our ancestors.”)</p>
<p dir="ltr">The first lines of <a href="https://twitter.com/anatijoux" target="_blank">Ana Tijoux</a>’s new album&nbsp;<em><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/vengo/id805968595" target="_blank">Vengo</a>,</em>&nbsp;which dropped yesterday, set the scene for an album full of introspection. In her third full-length album, the Chilean rapper looks at her life and the world at large in terms of decolonization. But&nbsp;“Vengo” isn’t just the title track, it captures the spirit of the whole album. You hear her vocals dip from conversational and knowing to soft and thoughtful, then rise in an urgent call to action—all delivered in cadence in Tijoux’s signature expert flow.</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/BN4k3mnJteo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p dir="ltr">While&nbsp;<em>Vengo</em>&nbsp;will be filed under hip hop, you’ll also hear folk and jazz throughout the album as she weaves from feminist anthem "Antipatriarca" to the lullabye-like "Emelia," named for her 1-year-old daughter. (Fun fact: the album is sample-free, each beat and brass blare are recorded in the studio.)&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">Since&nbsp;<a href="/post/b-sides-ana-tijoux" target="_blank">her second album&nbsp;<em>Bala&nbsp;</em>dropped</a>, more listeners have recently discovered Tijoux's music thanks to her <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpFDJNLIjZA" target="_blank">song "1977" appearing on&nbsp;<em>Breaking Bad</em></a>&nbsp;and more recently,&nbsp;<em><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4ST-hcK2cQ" target="_blank">Broad City</a></em>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Tijoux was kind enough to answer a few questions for Bitch, below. She talks about the difficult and lifelong work of decolonization, what and who to expect on the album, and gives a much-needed reminder that I can’t trust everything I hear from U.S. media. Tijoux just finished up SXSW and is touring—make sure to check out her tour dates below!</p>
<p><strong>The album is about your Indigenous roots, which we can hear especially on the track “Vengo.” Can you talk about how this became the focus of the album?</strong></p>
<p><em>Vengo </em>comes from the perspective of investigating where we come from, where we are going, and the deep necessity of understanding our vector core identity. It&nbsp;summarizes the album due to its composition and its lyrics.</p>
<p><strong>How does Indigeneity influence the album musically?</strong></p>
<p>That’s a process that I’m trying to understand, reflect, and apply in my life. The cultural looting we’ve been through has been massive, and I’m afraid this journey will last my whole life.</p>
<div class="im">
<p><strong>Your music and lyrics have always championed people’s movements. Can you talk about some of the political songs on&nbsp;<em>Vengo</em>? Which movements do you speak to on this album?</strong></p>
</div>
<p>An album is a conversation with the world, so it’s normal that when looking into the world we end up talking or writing or singing about topics that affect our countries. I’d rather not talk more about it and let the songs speak for themselves, as I’m one who speaks a lot more clumsily than how I sing.</p>
<div class="im">
<p><strong>Tell me about some of your musical collaborators on the album.</strong></p>
</div>
<p>Hordatoj who produced <em>1977</em>;&nbsp;Shadia Mansour,&nbsp;a Palestinian rapper living in&nbsp;London; Juan Ayala from the Chilean group Juana Fe; Mc Niel,&nbsp;a Chilean rapper&nbsp;and Ricardo from a reggae&nbsp;band called Manolo Verdejo.</p>
<div class="im">
<p><strong>You describe yourself as a “mother, musician, and citizen.” Can you talk about how these identities intersect?</strong></p>
</div>
<p>I am a mother 24 hours a day, a musician with the rest of the day, and a citizen when I have time to remember it within the madness of motherhood. Time arranges itself within these strange rolls in order to converge one with the other.</p>
<div class="im">
<p><strong>You're currently touring the United States. What do you observe when it comes to US media coverage of South America, or political awareness at all in North America? (I'm thinking of the current violence against protesters in Venezuela.)</strong></p>
</div>
<p>There is a phrase by Malcolm X that described this situation very well, “If you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”</p>
<p>I can disagree with some of the bureaucratic processes in Venezuela but I can’t ignore that it is a country that has free education and free health care, which are things that don’t exist in many Latin American countries—Chile included. My country is in extreme debt because of these two things and to compare the two [countries' student] movements is absolutely absurd.&nbsp;Venezuela is a country with plenty of oil, in other words, a country where money coexists within its veins.</p>
<p>The massive campaign against this country has become a communication war, it is a fervent battle on behalf of economic interests. Mexico has deaths every day, Palestine has daily interventions, and Chile has had tremendous repressions of its Mapuche communities. And you don’t see world campaigns against these actions. So all that shows is the power of the US.</p>
<div class="im">
<p><strong>What artists have you been listening recently?</strong></p>
</div>
<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong>I'd be lying if I told you new artists. I would say that my daughter's laugh has been what I heard lately in stereo and 3D!</p>
<hr />
<p>Check out <a href="http://www.nacionalrecords.com/" target="_blank"><em>Vengo</em> at Nacional Records!</a> And see if she's coming to your area below: <br /> March 19: San Francisco, California — The Independent <br />March 21: Los Angeles, California — The Echoplex <br />March 22: Tijuana, Mexico — Black Box <br />March 23: San Diego, California —&nbsp;The Casbah <br />March 27: Monterrey, Mexico — Cafe Iguana <br />March 28: Mexico — Vive Latino <br />March 30: Chile — Lollapalooza <br />April 4: Panama — Festival Verde <br />April 5: Washington, DC — The Kennedy Center</p>
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http://bitchmagazine.org/ana-tijoux-album-review-vengo-feminist-rap#commentship hoprapMusicThu, 20 Mar 2014 00:10:09 +0000Kjerstin Johnson25393 at http://bitchmagazine.orgAll-Women Hip-Hop Crews Shake Up the Twin Citieshttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/all-women-hip-hop-crews-shake-up-the-twin-cities
<p><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7298/10857776986_52455bed79_o.png" alt="The three women of GRRRL PRTY" width="549" height="546" /></p>
<p>Before their set on the second night of a residency at Minneapolis music venue Icehouse rap trio <a href="http://www.grrrlprty.com/">GRRRL PRTY</a> invited nearly a dozen female friends, each in matching GRRRL snapbacks, to dance and take over the stage. This was after a long night of sets from Chicago's <a href="http://regularblackgirl.com">Psalm One</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/whoisfluffy">Fluff Nasty,</a> and Minneapolis rappers <a href="http://thelionessmusic.bandcamp.com/">The Lioness</a> and <a href="http://bdotcrocmn.bandcamp.com/">BdotCroc</a>. The night was front-to-back female artists, a rarity for any show but a rarity for a hip-hop show especially.</p>
<p>"That was really special," says rapper <a href="http://soundcloud.com/sophiaeris/rest-your-head-up">Sophia Eris</a>, one of the members of GRRRL PRTY (alongside MCs Lizzo and La Manchita). "I felt very special to be a part of that and to help curate something like that. I felt warm in my heart. It's important to know what women are doing here, and people do know, but to release it all together and have it be a full-fledged, all female show is like, whoa. Like, hi, you should've known this whole time!"&nbsp;</p>
<p>While rap in general has gravitated away from group mentality over the years, female rappers are especially prone to flying solo, and there’s an impression that there are few open spots for women in hip-hop. In media coverage of female rappers, we’re more likely to hear stories about beefs—<a href="http://www.bet.com/news/music/2012/09/20/missy-elliott-addresses-lil-kim-and-nicki-minaj-beef.html">Lil' Kim lambasting Nicki Minaj</a>, or <a href="http://www.complex.com/music/2012/08/a-history-of-azealia-banks-twitter-beefs/">Azaelia Banks taking verbal shots</a> at Kreayshawn or Angel Haze—than stories about support. Rap will forever be a competitive landscape, and women are certainly no more likely than men to engage in feuds. But given the limited amount of media attention women in hip-hop receive, the in-fighting can become an overly dominant conversation point.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In a welcome contrast, the Minneapolis rap scene has a history of artists supporting one another in a way not often seen elsewhere. All solo artists in their own right, the women of GRRRL PRTY have found tremendous forward momentum in working together.</p>
<p>"Honestly, GRRRL PRTY is inspired by N.W.A.," adds Lizzo. "We're inspired by all these cliques that are older, but I'm kind of excited to see groups like TDE, Odd Future, and the A$AP Mob pop off. But you don't see a female group like that. GRRRL PRTY, that is what we do. We are crewed up, we're individual solo artists, we make crew records, we perform together, we branch off, we come back together, we keep it super hip-hop."&nbsp;</p>
<p>Fresh off the heels of their first release <em>TNGHT B4 XMAS</em>, a five-song EP, GRRRL PRTY is a take-no-shit powerhouse group with one of the strongest live shows in rap. Their sound is gritty and focuses on the confident, rapid-fire lyricism each member possesses.&nbsp;</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ut4Wnfai7YI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>"My solo stuff is a lot darker, a lot more chill, a lot more simple almost. With GRRRL PRTY, I feel an athlete," says Sophia Eris. "We're all helping each other, we're all in our element. When we write together, it's like, pow pow pow pow. Really challenging each other to go to the next level. I feel very fortunate to be able to grow with them and become a better rapper myself. Rap is just a whole other drug. Expressing yourself in the crazy, musical, powerful pleasures for me."</p>
<p>GRRRL PRTY is an evolution from the preceding rap and R&amp;B trio <a href="http://thechalice.bandcamp.com/">The Chalice</a>, comprised again of Lizzo and Sophia Eris but with the addition of singer&nbsp;<a href="http://clairedelunemusic.bandcamp.com/">Claire de Lune</a>. The Chalice's hybridized sung-raps and group energy evokes the work of Salt-N-Pepa or TLC, had a whirlwind year in 2012. When they grouped together to release their debut, they soon made the cover of Minneapolis' alternative paper City Pages as the first rap artists to place first in the reader poll of best up-and-coming musicians. Suddenly, the group was everywhere, playing shows, touring, and cultivating a strong fan base. The group’s strength is in combining the distinctive styles each performer has built in their solo careers to create something bigger than the sum of their parts. "I feel like The Chalice was filling a void that hadn't been filled yet in Minneapolis," says Sophia Eris. She cites the work done the trailblazing female rap artists who've paved the way for women musicians over the scene's history, but says the movement is still in progress. "<a href="http://www.doomtree.net/dessa/">The Dessas</a> and <a href="thedesdamona.wordpress.com/">the Desdamonas</a> and the <a href="http://villarosamuisc.tumblr.com/">Maria Isas</a>, all those women are amazingly gifted and awesome, but I had yet to see women come together to be in a group before like The Chalice did. I feel like we have been supported in carving a lane in Minneapolis, but I also feel like there's still paths to be made."&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3814/10857877624_b3c4521e4d_o.png" alt="Sign reads: GRRRL PRTY the world's most dangerous crew" width="486" height="362" /></p>
<p>The Minneapolis hip-hop scene seems integral to that collaborative approach to their music.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"I think that when you make music here, it's really collaborative, versus [being] competitors, because there's no Big Daddy Labels to push up to. Everyone's just an artist," says Lizzo, whose solo career is beginning to take off on a national level. "You go to L.A. or New York, or even Atlanta or Nashville, you see these people at the top of the game who started as artists, but now they're like a mogul, they have a mogul mind, almost like you can't touch them. Here, everyone is down to earth. Even if P. Diddy is down to earth, you wouldn't be able to tell because he's in a private jet, unless you get on his level. [In] Minneapolis, there's such a humility that everybody shows in the way that they carry themselves. They wanna work with each other, there's really no beef here." Lizzo especially has bridged working as an independent artist and alongside collaborators, working not only with GRRRL PRTY and The Chalice, but also as a singer in <a href="http://harmarsuperstar.com/">Har Mar Superstar</a> and <a href="http://www.carolinesmithcarolinesmith.com/">Caroline Smith'</a>s respective bands, and a flautist with the instrumental group assembled by producer <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQXme1Wg0bA">Big Cats</a>. She also made the cover of City Pages as 2013's first place reader's pick as a solo artist.&nbsp; In a short period of time, she's risen in prominence and gotten a lot of attention. She's now in the middle of an international tour with Har Mar Superstar in support of her <a href="http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/207652/exclusive-stream-lizzos-eponymous-lizzobangers-in-full/">debut solo record&nbsp;<em>Lizzobangers</em></a>, with Doomtree producer Lazerbeak.</p>
<p>Detroit-born and Houston-bred, when Lizzo first appeared on the Minneapolis scene in 2011, it was clear her brash, all-over-the-map persona was bound for stardom. Her unique sound draws from a wide range of sources, having worked her way through prog-rock groups, electro-pop duos, and R&amp;B girl groups early on. She was well-recieved in the Minneapolis underground rap scene, birthplace of labels like <a href="http;//www.rhymesayers.com/">Rhymesayers</a> and <a href=" http://www.doomtree.net/">Doomtree</a>, thanks to her undeniable skill. "As soon as I moved here, I felt like I earned the amount of respect I felt I deserved. I felt appreciated and well-liked," says Lizzo. "But keeping it real, I have heard from many females [that] ten years ago it was not like this. I respect the women that worked through that. Like Dessa [of Doomtree], I have so much respect for her because she was a lone wolf female dealing with being in a heavily male-dominated scene. I've felt a lot of equality in this scene, from my own experience, but the women in the past have seen it come from the ground up. That's with anything. We had the suffrage movement in America, women have had to come up at a certain point. I think right now that we are all on an even-playing field and everyone is killing it in their own right."&nbsp;</p>
<p>Lizzo, Sophia Eris, La Manchita, and Claire de Lune are creating some excellent music and it's starting to really get the attention it deserves. But in tandem with one another, their individual successes begin to feel like a movement and a big step forward for hip-hop. They've created a lane for themselves where they cannot be denied, and they hope to inspire women musicians to continue down the path they're paving.</p>
<p><em>Related Reading: <a href="http://bit.ly/1dWv78j">Beat Makers with Boobs—Feminism, Race, and Hip-Hop</a>.</em></p>
<p><em>Photos of GRRRL PRTY via the band's <a href="http://instagram.com/grrrlprty">Instagram</a>.&nbsp;</em></p>
<hr />
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http://bitchmagazine.org/post/all-women-hip-hop-crews-shake-up-the-twin-cities#commentship-hoprapMusicThu, 14 Nov 2013 18:40:15 +0000Jack Spencer24609 at http://bitchmagazine.orgThe Senator Who Led the Charge Against VAWA Says He's the "Only Member of the Hip Hop Caucus"http://bitchmagazine.org/post/the-senator-who-led-the-charge-against-vawa-says-hes-the-only-member-of-the-hip-hop-caucus
<p><img style="float: right; margin: 10px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/Marco_Rubio,_Official_Portrait,_112th_Congress.jpg/220px-Marco_Rubio,_Official_Portrait,_112th_Congress.jpg" alt="" width="220" height="279" />While I was watching regrettable late-night TV recently, an interview caught my attention: Ultra-conservative Florida Senator Marco Rubio discussing his admiration of the music of Tupac Shakur and NWA.</p>
<p>This isn't breaking news; Rubio has been openly discussing his love of hip-hop since a December 2012 <a href="http://www.gq.com/news-politics/politics/201212/marco-rubio-interview-gq-december-2012?currentPage=1">GQ interview</a>.&nbsp; To be clear, Rubio says he only knows about Wu Tang from <em>The Dave Chapelle Show,</em>&nbsp;which I am pretty sure is the main reason why Chappelle stopped doing that show in the middle of its third season.</p>
<p>It's entirely possible that Rubio is just pandering to a younger crowd by proclaiming his love of rap. It's no secret that the GOP has high hopes that Rubio will be their Barack Obama in 2016.&nbsp; <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/alyssa/2013/01/24/1490891/my-president-and-rap-lupe-fiasco-jay-z-and-obamas-relationship-with-hip-hop/" target="_self">Obama loves Jay-Z</a>, so maybe Rubio's banking on dropping Tupac's name to win youth votes.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But if Rubio is sincere, it's ironic that a rising GOP star to profess his love for a music genre that his party <a href="http://www.hiphoparchive.org/node/9074" target="_self">put on trial at a Congressional hearing just six years ago</a>. Rubio's explanation? "I don't listen to music for the politics of it." Devout Republican <a href="/article/meghan-mccain-pointcounterpoint" target="_self">Meghan McCain also professes to be a Tupac fan</a> in much the same vein.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"I think Tupac was more someone who was trying to inform us about what was going on, and he did it through entertainment," Rubio explained to <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2013/02/26/senator-marco-rubio-lil-wayne-tupac-wu-tang-clan/" target="_self">TMZ</a> while discussing his predilection for West coast rappers of the 90s over the prominent rappers of today.&nbsp; Rubio says that he admires these rappers because he viewed them as "reporters" of their lives in LA.</p>
<p>Rubio describes himself as <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/02/rubio-only-member-of-the-hip-hop-caucus/" target="_self">"the only member of the hip-hop caucus."</a> Given Rubio's voting record, the hip-hop caucus apparently stands for increasing inequality, imprisoning people without trial, representing the interests of the richest Americans, and enabling violence against women.</p>
<p>Any message these rappers were trying to send to people in power has fallen on deaf ears with Rubio. Just this year, Rubio has voted down <a href="http://votesmart.org/bill/15606/41194/1601/middle-class-tax-cut-act#.UTE611qDQXw" target="_self">tax breaks for middle-class Americans</a> and voted in favor of allowing the government to <a href="http://votesmart.org/bill/14187/37420/1601/prohibits-detention-of-us-citizens-without-trial#.UTE6f1qDQXw" target="_self">detain US citizens indefinitely without trial</a>.</p>
<p>Although Rubio's favorite rapper Tupac was <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/08/nyregion/rapper-faces-prison-term-for-sex-abuse.html">once convicted on a sexual abuse charge</a>, he often sang about the struggles of young urban women who faced the threat of daily violence and lack of access to family planning resources in songs like "Keep Ya Head Up" and "Brenda's Got a Baby," respectively.</p>
<p>Rubio, meanwhile, <a href="http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/marco-rubio-leads-gop-charge-of-22-male-senators-to-block-violence-against-women-act-loses/politics/2013/02/12/60396">led the charge</a> of 22 (male) Republican Senators attempting to block the passing of the renewal of the <a href="/post/finally-congress-passes-violence-against-women-act%E2%80%94heres-why-we-need-to-do-more" target="_self">Violence Against Women Act</a> (VAWA). Thankfully, Rubio lost this one—the act was <a href="/post/finally-congress-passes-violence-against-women-act%E2%80%94heres-why-we-need-to-do-more" target="_self">finally passed in the Senate and House</a> this week.</p>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/the-senator-who-led-the-charge-against-vawa-says-hes-the-only-member-of-the-hip-hop-caucus#commentship hopmarco rubioraptupacViolence Against Women ActPoliticsSat, 02 Mar 2013 00:59:57 +0000Makenzi Brock21649 at http://bitchmagazine.orgTales From The Crip: Wheelchair Sports Camp Comes Legithttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/tales-from-the-crip-wheelchair-sports-camp-comes-correct
<p><img style="float: left; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8050/8098090376_fdf30ce696.jpg" alt="A picture of Kalyn Hefferman in her wheelchair" width="378" height="500" /></p>
<p>Spin Magazine recently ran a comprehensive and funny piece called <a href="http://www.spin.com/gallery/50-biggest-white-girl-rap-moments-of-all-time?image=50" target="_blank">"The 50 Biggest White Girl Rap Moments Of All Time."</a> Being a white woman who vehemently loves rap music, best believe I ate that ish up. Some MCs mentioned were genuinely talented (Dessa, Princess Superstar), others... not so much. There is, as the magazine states, a "checkered" history in white girl rap (cough cough Kreayshawn cough cough Fergie). One artist who didn't make the cut (but certainly will next round) is the one and only Kalyn Heffernan of Denver's&nbsp;<a href="http://wheelchairsportscamp.co/" target="_blank">Wheelchair Sports Camp</a>.</p>
<p>Kalyn is many things: a charismatic and lyrically dexterous MC, weed enthusiast, queer disabled provocateur, graffiti artist, social justice advocate, and wearer of hilarious Halloween costumes (see the photo below of her dressed as "Chucky" from Child's Play and try not to laugh). She packs <em>a lot</em> of swagger into her 3'6" frame, attracting attention from noted rappers like Sage Francis, Raekwon and Salt N' Pepa. She's also attracted attention from the popo, not for her clever rhymes but for her many mischievous (and occasionally illegal) antics. After Wheelchair Sports Camp performed their "first successful out of state show ever" in Texas (where every musician is arrested it seems), the band celebrated by attempting to spray-paint some tags around town. Cops arrived on the scene, were unhappy with the graffiti, found weed, and the 5 person crew (excepting Kalyn) was arrested. Kalyn's longtime girlfriend Jennah, who wasn't actually painting at the time, took on Kalyn's vandalism charges, earning her two nights in jail. But this is just another day in the MC's "crip life," a favorite expression of the rapper that she had tattooed on her stomach a la Tupac's notorious "Thug Life" ink.</p>
<p>I was thrilled to interview Kalyn and find out the latest news on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wheelchairsportscamp" target="_blank">Wheelchair Sports Camp</a>. Here's what the revolutionary rhymer had to say.</p>
<p><em>Image of Kalyn (above) copyright <a href="http://www.jasonpaulroberts.com">Jason Roberts</a>.</em></p>
<p><strong>What was your introduction to hip-hop?</strong></p>
<p>I can remember finding the mainstream hip-hop station while searching on my walkman. Ever since then I've been stuck. It was really my thing that had nothing to do with my parents' influence which made it so much cooler. I was only like 5 when i got into it.</p>
<p><strong>How did the name/group Wheelchair Sports Camp come about? How long have you been rapping?</strong></p>
<p>When I moved back to Denver from Burbank when I was 9/10ish, I was invited to participate in a free weeklong wheelchair sports camp. It was the time of year when my friends and I would go and cause a lil ruckus. I started writing rhymes when I was about 12 yrs old, kept on it and sophomore year of college a middle school friend of mine and I started the group. We started playing with Abi [McGaha Miller, saxophonist/vocalist] and then got her brother [Isaac, drums] on board. Now the rapper that I started the crew with is no longer part of the band.</p>
<p><strong>Who do you cite as influences (musical or otherwise) for Wheelchair Sports Camp?&nbsp;<img style="float: right; margin: 10px;" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8055/8098117110_732c62c192_n.jpg" alt="" width="290" height="290" /></strong></p>
<p>As a kid I was strictly hip-hop and it was really whatever I could get my hands on as a young white girl from the suburbs. Now I like music from all genres. My favorite band is Radiohead but I like loads of stuff.</p>
<p><strong>What prompted you to get your "Crip Life" tattoo?</strong></p>
<p><strong>&nbsp;</strong> I met a guy with my disability in Florida when I was real young. He mentioned he had a "crip life" tattoo and it was a massive handicapped sign on his stomach. Almost since then I had an idea to have "crip life" written in old english across my stomach just like Tupac's "thug life." I'm a real sarcastic person so it wouldn't leave me until I got the guts to do it.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Do you feel any extra pressure as a disabled woman when you're performing? Seeing crips on stage in a position of power isn't an everyday occurrence, so I could see how you might feel like you have something to prove. Or is that a non-issue for you?</strong></p>
<p>I attribute all that "proving yourself" idea to hip-hop. I don't think you're making a dent in the scene unless you think you're better than the majority of the cats rhyming so the proving deal just comes kinda territorial. I guess subconsciously being a female, crippled rapper gives me even more of a reason to be better, but it's not something I really think about besides "I have to come legit." There's so much hip-hop going on all the damn time, it's like you have to come out of the box if you want someone to notice.</p>
<p><strong>What are some of the craziest moments you've had on tour?</strong></p>
<p>Watching 5 folks get arrested for some real dumb shit in Texas was probably the craziest, but there was also a time that just Isaac (drums) and I played this crazy club party in downtown LA. After only playing a few tracks, the party was broken up by LAPD for some owner foul play. That shit was pretty crazy too. I've actually never been arrested on the road yet. <a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/2011-12-07/news/wheelchair-sports-camp-crip-life-Kalyn-Heffernan/2/" target="_blank">I did happen to get a big group of folks arrested once on tour but that only happened once.... </a></p>
<p><strong>What music are you listening to right now?</strong></p>
<p>I've been working on <a href="http://soundcloud.com/yonsellanmou" target="_blank">producing a bunch of tracks for these rappers in Haiti</a> which has been consuming my life. As far as me personally, I've been writing to a lot of beats from outside producers which has been awesome and refreshing. But outside of me I really am still into the B.Dolan mixtape House of Bees Vol.2, along with Killer Mike and El-P's R.A.P. Music. Also the new Gaslamp Killer and Flying Lotus is dope. Still pretty into Tune-Yards as well, but really i'm all over the place</p>
<p><strong>What's the latest news for Wheelchair Sports Camp? Tour plans?</strong></p>
<p>WSC is hoping to play more outside markets soon. Would love to hit the west coast eventually along with getting across to the UK. Also hoping to write some new material together and start cranking out an LP. Until then just perfecting the craft, staying outside the box, and really pushing ourselves to come out of our comfort zones.</p>
<p><em>Check out Wheelchair Sports Camp's website <a href="http://wheelchairsportscamp.co/" target="_blank">here</a>, and watch Kalyn "haven't grown an inch since I was six and I'm just fine" Heffernan drive around in a kids motorized jeep in the video for "Where We All Live" below.&nbsp;</em>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>The bottom photo in this post is courtesy of Chris Bagley.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/tales-from-the-crip-wheelchair-sports-camp-comes-correct#commentsDenverdisabilityKalyn Heffernankrip-hopmusicqueerrapTales from the cripWheelchair Sports CampMusicThu, 18 Oct 2012 16:12:19 +0000Caitlin Wood19398 at http://bitchmagazine.orgOn Our Radar http://bitchmagazine.org/post/on-our-radar-
<p>Highlights from this week on the web.</p>
<ul>
<li>The Root recognizes <a href="http://www.theroot.com/buzz/wnba-reaches-15-year-milestone">15 years of the WNBA.</a> Here's to tall women!</li>
<li>Despite the endurance and growth of women's professional sports, Feministing reports on <a href="http://feministing.com/2011/06/22/wimbledon-likes-their-female-tennis-players-hot-and-grunt-free/">Wimbledon's contest to choose the best looking female player. </a>One ace forward, two unforced errors back.</li>
<li>xoJane <a href="http://www.xojane.com/healthy/tell-everyone-how-much-you-weigh-all-time">endorses the My Body Gallery.</a> What do you think of this body acceptance project?</li>
<li><em>Philadelphia Weekly</em> reports on <em>Broad Street Review</em> editor and Douchebag Decree nominee Dan Rottenberg's recent opinion article <a href="http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/Dan-Rottenberg-Editor-of-Broad-Street-Review-Spews-Vile-Rape-Commentary.html?page=1&amp;comments=1&amp;showAll=">blaming CBS correspondent Lara Logan for her sexual assault </a>in Egypt.</li>
<li>Did you know that Geraldo Rivera called Casey Anthony a slut on Fox News last month? Mediaite asks <a href="http://www.mediaite.com/tv/why-did-geraldo-rivera-get-away-with-calling-casey-anthony-a-%E2%80%98self-involved-slut%E2%80%99/">why did he get away with it?</a></li>
<li>Tiger Beatdown's Flavia Dzodan exposes Tumblr as the <a href="http://tigerbeatdown.com/2011/06/17/tumblr-where-your-political-authorities-are-american-cis-male-and-white-and-preferably-an-agressive-anti-abortion-activist/">"White, kyriarchical, status-quo upholding, oppressive medium"</a> that it is. In other news, my addiction to Beyoncé-themed Tumblrs continues to grow unchecked.</li>
<li>At Jezebel Irin Carmon explores what effect the Wal-Mart case will have on <a href="http://jezebel.com/5814783/costco-women-are-about-to-find-out-what-wal+mart-means-for-them">female Costco employees' own class action suit.</a> For some context, check out <a href="/post/political-inqueery-scotus-and-the-limits-on-the-rule-of-law">EvMaroon's Political InQueery</a> from earlier this week.</li>
<li>SPARK discusses <a href="http://www.sparksummit.com/2011/06/21/real-talk-about-really-new-research-on-the-sexualization-of-girls-2/">new research on the sexualization of girls</a>. Soon after Jezebel reports on<a href="http://jezebel.com/5814439/magazines-adopt-policy-against-photoshop-in-advertising"> the AMA's new stance on Photoshop</a> in advertising.</li>
<li>Thirteen's Riff City wonders <a href="http://www.thirteen.org/riffcity/previewing-the-bet-awards-where-are-the-lady-rappers/">Where Are the Lady Rappers?</a> at this year's BET Awards.</li>
<li>The Daily Beast asks whether or not <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/06/23/bristol-palin-memoir-on-how-she-lost-her-virginity-was-it-date-rape.html">Bristol Palin's account of losing her virginity</a> in her new memoir constitutes date rape. What do you think?</li>
<li>Calling all writers, Professor Jessie Daniels is looking for essays for <a href="http://www.jessiedanielsphd.com/cfp"><em>"Aint I a Woman: Race, Feminism, and Social Media."</em></a></li>
<li>We're really bummed we're not at the Allied Media Conference in Detroit right now! You can keep up with the goings-on by checking out their <a href="http://alliedmedia.org/">LiveStream</a>, following the <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/search?q=%23amc2011">#AMC2011</a> hashtag on Twitter, or by <a href="http://alliedmedia.org/amc2011/program/conference-program-pdf">browsing their conference guide</a> for more online interaction.</li>
</ul>
<p>And you? What are your reactions? What have you been reading?</p>
<ul>
</ul>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/on-our-radar-#commentsAllied Media ConferenceAMABETbody acceptanceBristol PalinCasey AnthonyCostcoGeraldo RiveraLara Loganphotoshoprapsexual assaultTumblrWal-MartWimbledonWNBABitch HQFri, 24 Jun 2011 20:15:35 +0000Ann-Derrick Gaillot10962 at http://bitchmagazine.orgB-Sides: Jay-Z's Lyrics, "Decoded"http://bitchmagazine.org/post/b-sides-jay-z-decoded
<p><a title="b-sides logo_bigger size by bitch_magazine, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bitchmagazine/4050238373/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2601/4050238373_97e7b89e23_m.jpg" alt="b-sides logo_bigger size" width="240" height="131" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.jay-z.com/index.php" target="_blank">Jay-Z</a> is arguably the most successful hip-hop artist in the world. He owns a sports team, created a clothing line, <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jay-z-p195154/biography" target="_blank">ran a record label</a> and then started his own, and last year beat Elvis Presley as the solo act with the most Billboard 200 hits. This year, he decided to add "author" to his long list of titles. <em>Decoded</em>&nbsp;is part memoir, part argument in defense of hip-hop, part lyrical analysis of his work, both well-known and unknown, and part printed self-aggrandizement with expensive-looking art design to match—like a microcosm of hip-hop itself. (But with more avant-garde black-and-white photography.)&nbsp;</p>
<p><a title="jay-z1 by bitch_magazine, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bitchmagazine/5301170383/"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5301170383_3053943d0c_m.jpg" alt="jay-z1" width="232" height="240" align="left" hspace="10" /></a></p>
<p>My fascination with this book started in November, when I heard Jay-Z on NPR's <a href="http://www.npr.org/2010/11/15/131334322/the-fresh-air-interview-jay-z-decoded" target="_blank">Fresh Air</a>. He was eloquent, for the most part, but also gave some cringe-worthy answers (although that was probably also due to Terry's INCREDIBLY AWKWARD laughter at inappropriate times). The same goes for <em>Decoded.</em>&nbsp;Jay is at his best, I think, when he is discussing the merits of hip-hop as an art form:&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote><p>"Being misunderstood is almost a badge of honor in rap... So many people can't see that every great rapper is not just a documentarian, but a trickster...it's their failure, or unwillingness, to treat rap like art, instead of acting like it's just...reading out of our diaries. Art elevates and refines and transforms experience. And sometimes it just fucks with you for the fun of it."</p></blockquote>
<p>Perhaps surprisingly, this argument works for me. Also, just thought I'd throw it out there, it works for <a href="http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Oprahs-Ultimate-Favorite-Things-2010/27" target="_blank">Oprah</a> too. Yes, Jay-Z mentions Oprah specifically in the book, which makes her choosing it for her "Ultimate Favorite Things" show a teensy bit self-important, but I do agree with her feelings on the "n-word issue," as she calls it. And Jay-Z confronts them, saying:</p>
<blockquote><p>"To me, it's just a word, a word whose power is owned by the user and his or her intention. People give words power, so banning a word is futile, really... The key is to change the person. And we change people through conversation, not censorship."</p></blockquote>
<p>I buy that, too. BitchMedia&nbsp;is based on the same idea of claiming language, and creating space in which to claim, reclaim, and discuss the words we use. But then we come to the "bitch/ho" question, as Terry Gross calls it in the radio interview, which is also covered in the book. The song "99 Problems" is the song Jay chooses to illustrate his point.&nbsp;</p>
<blockquote><p>"99 Problems" is a good song to use to talk about the difference between the art of rap and the artlessness of some of its critics. It's a song that takes real events and reimagines them. It's a narrative with a purposefully ambiguous ending. And the hook itself, "99 Problems but a bitch ain't one," is a joke, bait for lazy critics. At no point in that song am I talking about a girl."</p></blockquote>
<p>This is where the argument sort of falls apart in the "Fresh Air" interview, too. I will <em>buy </em>that you are talking about a K-9 unit in this context. I can <em>handle</em>&nbsp;that you chose a provocative word to spark debate. But <em>Decoded</em>&nbsp;is 336 pages long, and costs $35 hardcover. Filling that many pages, and asking for that much money for a book meant to demystify lyrics and defend rap as poetry, with a poet's license to exercise confrontational language, I'm disappointed that so little attention was given to the ugliest of rap's traditions. Jay-Z refers to Oprah, in his "epilogue" about their clash over his use of the n-word, as "in her own stratosphere" of power. But I would argue that he is also as close to the center of the hip-hop stratosphere as rappers working today can get. It's heartening that this book was published. It is a valuable piece of pop culture history AND an impressive work of art, and it has changed the standard to which I hold rap, and how I will listen to it from now on. If anyone was going to write this book, and write it well, it was going to be Jay-Z. But it has done very little to decode the machismo and misogyny which are seemingly inherent to so much of hip hop culture, when the platform to do so was presented so nicely.&nbsp;</p>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/b-sides-jay-z-decoded#commentsauthorsbook reviewhip hopJay-ZmachismorapMusicWed, 29 Dec 2010 16:18:10 +0000Katie Presley7330 at http://bitchmagazine.orgBitchtapes: Actual Feminist Rappershttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/bitchtapes-actual-feminist-rappers
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Kelsey's <a href="/post/feminist-rapper-real-ladies-fight-back">postings</a> of the "Feminist Rappers" videos drew more than laughs--it had some commenters asking, "But what about the <i>real</i> feminist rappers?" </p>
<p>So here's a genre- decade-spanning compilation of feminist rappers, hip-hoppers, and spoken word artists, from the 90s beats of Yo Yo to the indie crossover of Mirah and Katastrophe. Don't forget to add your recs!</p>
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<b>1. Jean Grae - A Alikes</b><br />
This track off the stunning debut album of Jean Grae shows that there's a lot more where that came from. </p>
<p><b>2. Queen Latifah - U.N.I.T.Y</b><br />
Who you callin a <i>bitch</i>? </p>
<p><b>3. Northern State - Three Amigas </b><br />
The next time you hear that three white girls from Long Island can't rap, mention Northern State. </p>
<p><b>4. Dessa - Seamstress</b><br />
Spoken-word artist <a href="/post/b-sides-oh-dessa-1">Dessa</a> is part of the all hip hop collective <a href="http://www.dootree.net">Doomtree</a>, she's also a published poet (if you couldn't tell from her song)</p>
<p><b>5. Invincible - Shapeshifters</b><br />
Invincible isn't just one of Detroit's best rappers, she's one of the most political, but she's still part of <a href="http://www.myspace.com/anomolies">ANOMOLIES</a>, a NYC all female hip hop collective. </p>
<p><b>6. Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing)</b><br />
Lauryn Hill's single from the grammy winning <i>Miseducation</i>....this song is timeless. </p>
<p><b>7. Scream Club feat. Mirah and Katastrophe - Dead Wrong</b><br />
Duo Scream Team pairs up not just with indie gal Mirah but Katastrophe-- a hip hop artist and co-founder of <i><a href="http://www.originalplumbing.com/Home.html">Original Plumbing</a></i>!</p>
<p><b>8. Yo-Yo - You Can't Play With My Yo-Yo</b><br />
One of Yo-Yo's first songs featuring Ice Cube. Don't try to play her out. Her video "Black Pearl" is above.</p>
<p><b>9. Queen Latifah feat. Monie Love - Ladies First</b><br />
This one's for the ladies...Queen Latifah and Monie Love team up to celebrate women!</p>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/bitchtapes-actual-feminist-rappers#commentsBitchTapeship-hoprapMusicSat, 24 Apr 2010 18:29:52 +0000Kjerstin Johnson3165 at http://bitchmagazine.orgBitchTapes: Bitch Pridehttp://bitchmagazine.org/post/bitchtapes-bitch-pride
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<p>In the midst of the Christmas advertising frenzy, sometimes it's hard to remember what's really important.... but if there's one thing I've learned from all the Disney movies and Christmas specials, it's that it's important to re member to stay true to who you really are. If being a bitch means being honest, outspoken and sometimes really pissed off, then I'm proud to call myself a bitch. With that said, I bring you a collection of songs that represent the spirit of bitchdom; a collection of songs about anger, freedom, violence, jealousy, frustration, fantasy, revenge, pride, individualism and burping; in short, songs about the American Dream.</p>
<p>Also, it's my last day in the Bitch offices, so this is sort of a goodbye type of thing.</p>
<p>1. She's A Bitch - 9:00 News<br />
Comin' straight outta Stockton, a song for bitches and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Why-Men-Love-Bitches-Relationship/dp/1580627560">the men who love them</a>. </p>
<p>2. Oh Bondage Up Yours! - X-Ray Spex<br />
Little-known fact: the saxophone was handed down by an ambiguously gendered God in 1841 so that humans could melodiously express primal urges and unfettered joy. It has been criminally misused by Muzak Holdings LLC since.</p>
<p>3. Big Branch - M.I.A.<br />
In this song, M.I.A. expresses her feminist views and cannibalistic urges.</p>
<p>4. Bitch - The Plasticines<br />
Can't... resist.... the handclaps....</p>
<p>5. What's Wrong With You? - Bratmobile<br />
The more obvious Bratmobile choice for this mix is "Bitch Theme" but I chose "What's Wrong With You?" instead because I think it is their best song, period.</p>
<p>6. Becky - Be Your Own Pet<br />
We've all been there, haven't we?... Middle school, I mean. Not jail.</p>
<p>7. I'll Kill Her - Soko<br />
Yeah! Violence!</p>
<p>8. Untamed Girls - The Raveonettes<br />
Pretend it's summer for a little while.</p>
<p>9. Dragon Lady - The Germs<br />
As with all Germs songs, it is recommended that you look up the lyrics. Sometimes I wonder if Darby Crash even knew what he was saying. </p>
<p>10. Mystery Girl - Yeah Yeah Yeahs<br />
"The girl hit hard like a barracuda, baby/She floated on air like a crest of wave/She was a primal institution/She was a danger to herself"</p>
<p>11. Shut the Fuck Up - The Coathangers<br />
Gotta love those keyboards. </p>
<p>12. Not Big - Lily Allen<br />
.....<i>Burn</i>.</p>
<p>13. Why Should I Be Nice To You - Velocity Girl<br />
A shoegaze answer to a punk question.</p>
<p>14. Love Me Or Hate Me - Lady Sovereign<br />
I couldn't figure out where else to put this song on the mix because it's SO obnoxious, but it was just too funny to leave off, so I tacked it onto the end. </p>
<p><center><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3644/3315237868_971ff449e1.jpg" /></center></p>
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/bitchtapes-bitch-pride#comments9:00 NewsBe Your Own Petbitch prideBitchTapesBratmobileLady Sovereignlily allenM.I.A.raprockSokoThe CoathangersThe GermsThe PlasticinesThe Raveonettesthe word bitchVelocity GirlX-Ray SpexYeah Yeah YeahsFeminist PodcastFri, 18 Dec 2009 18:56:56 +0000Sara Reihani2655 at http://bitchmagazine.org